Sylvia Rhone Monica Schipper/Getty Images Share on Facebook Share on X Share to Flipboard Send an Email Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Print the Article Post a Comment Sylvia Rhone, the veteran chair and CEO of Sony Music's Epic Records, is stepping down from the company, a source familiar with the matter confirms to The Hollywood Reporter. Rhone was first named chair and CEO of the label back in 2019, after a five year stint as Epic's president starting in 2014. In her tenure at Epic, she oversaw one of the most influential rosters in hip-hop, working with superstars including Travis Scott, 21 Savage, DJ Khaled Future, as well as with pop stars like Meghan Trainor, Madison Beer and Camila Cabello among many more. Related Stories Music Spotify and Sony Music Group Strike New Licensing Deals For Records and Publishing Music Jack White Selling Catalog Stake to Sony Music (Exclusive) Industry insiders have speculated for years when Rhone would eventually step down from her post given that she was one of the oldest major label CEOs, though as of now, no successor has been named. Rhone has long been lauded as a trailblazing figure in the music business, the first woman and the first Black women to be named CEO of a major record label. And while there had been a resurgence of women CEOs across the major record labels in the past several years, she was the only woman CEO left before today's departure. Prior to Sony, Rhone ran Warner Music Group's Elektra Entertainment Group, and in 2004 she was named the president of Universal Motown Records. At Motown, she worked with acts including Stevie Wonder, Erykah Badu and Akon, as well as with Lil Wayne's Cash Money Records, which was also home to the likes of Nicki Minaj and Drake. In an internal memo obtained by THR, Rhone looked back on her decades-long career, calling her tenure at Epic "an extraordinary journey" and noting this was the third time in her career she was the first woman and Black person to serve as a major label CEO. "And today, I am moving on from this historic role at Epic and I'm very excited about the future," Rhone said. "I've always been surrounded by excellent teams, but our current one at Epic is extraordinary. Spanning multiple generations, our team understands music's history, finds meaning in complex data, and anticipates emerging trends. From Travis Scott, Future and 21 Savage, to Meghan Trainor, Tyla and Madison Beer, Zara Larsson to Giveon and Mariah The Scientist, Q-Tip to Andre 3000 and the late, great Ozzy Osbourne... Epic artists thrive through bespoke campaigns that honor their unique voices and goals." In a note of his own, Sony Music Group chairman Rob Stringer, who appointed Rhone to her CEO role back in 2019, said that "it's been our honor to work with a true icon," calling it "our collective responsibility to continue to build on her work at Epic Records." "In an industry defined by its constant evolution, Sylvia has adapted and embraced change, time and time again," Stringer wrote. "Her journey is more than just a list of accomplishments. She is a trailblazing executive with a distinguished background and unwavering commitment to supporting artists. She has made history including becoming the first woman to be named Chair of a major record company and guided some of the biggest artists in our business across every genre. Sylvia's influence is rooted in an understanding of music's power to connect with people." In her memo, Rhone thanked Stringer, longtime music industry executive Doug Morris, her team of Epic executives, her late parents Marie and Bob Rhone and her daughter Quinn. "I have worked in our industry since vinyl ruled, and women were rarely if ever in line for C-level or even vice-presidential roles," Rhone said. "I am proud of my achievements, and of my commitment to those who take inspiration from them. The many individual honors I've received - from Billboard, Fortune Magazine's Most Powerful Women, Essence, Variety, Ms. Magazine's Woman of the Year, and the recent honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music - serve as grace notes on my years of dedication. But they pale beside what we've all built together. They pale beside the glory of our musical culture." Read Rhone's full memo below: To My Sony Music Family, It's been an extraordinary journey: eleven years since my promotion to President of Epic Records and six years since my appointment as Chairwoman and CEO. This role at Epic represents the third time in my career that I've been the first woman and first Black person to serve as CEO of a major record label owned by a Fortune 500 company. And today, I am moving on from this historic role at Epic and I'm very excited about the future. I've always been surrounded by excellent teams, but our current one at Epic is extraordinary. Spanning multiple generations, our team understands music's history, finds meaning in complex da